Category Archives: Special Effects

Exploring

Old Farm
Eastern Washington State

When I get a chance, I like to get off the main roads and explore from time to time with no set purpose. This day I was on my way back home from South Dakota and was tired of driving along I-90 in Eastern Washington. I decided to turn off toward the town of Odessa. Driving along a dirt road, I came across this lonesome old homestead. The old farm was still inhabited. It had a small farm house nestled in the trees behind the barn. The buildings were old and unpainted, but well kept up. The grounds were clean and neat. There were no signs of active farming. A white pickup was parked just out of sight behind the barn.

Before getting out to photograph, I sat in my Jeep and wondered what the people living here were doing. It looked like they occasionally had some animals in the fenced areas and barn. But I could not see any other evidence of active farming. All around the area were large active farms of wheat, hay, and other grains. Here was just sage brush and one or two old abandoned farm implements. I imagine the owners are people who love the rural life and have day jobs in other areas.

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I wish I had my little red sports car !

‘Curves’
Badlands National Park, SD

The first time I was in the Badlands, I was driving my little red sports car. It was early spring and not many people were visiting the park. I had a great time driving the windy roads and enjoying the beautiful scenery. It was just not quite the same this trip, driving my Jeep Grand Cherokee! At least with my Jeep, I was able to pull off more frequently along the side of the road and create an image or two.

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Experimentation & Practice

‘Color Infrared Practice’
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

I have been practicing infrared photography in preparation for an upcoming photography workshop in South Dakota’s Badlands. All of my previous infrared (IR) work has been in monochrome. I thought I would play around with a little color IR processing as a change of pace. This image was created using a color IR filter which adds a yellow/orange tint to elements that reflect IR and a blue tint to elements that absorb IR.

The jury is still out regarding the color processing.

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Place for Peace and Quiet

‘Southeast Corner Rest Stop’
Heatherwood Summer

This quiet spot is in the southeast corner of our garden. We planted a set of various conifers and a few deciduous trees to provide a cosy corner to rest and view the lower section of Heatherwood. The corner is highlighted with several uncommon conifers that provide special interest as we sit and enjoy the sights.

In the spring we admire the blossoms from a field of daffodils and trees from our crabapple grove. In the summer we view our multicolored meadow as we gaze up to our house above. In the fall, splotches of yellow, orange, red, and purple of the fall foliage pepper the garden in front of us. During the winter, the green and yellow conifers dominate the view complemented by the red, yellow, and oranges of the red, yellow, and midwinter fire branches of the dogwood shrubs. It is a great place to just sit and enjoy the world around us.

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More Infrared Practice

‘Japanese Garden Waterfall in IR’
Heatherwood Summer

I am working hard to learn and experiment what makes an interesting infrared image. I look for contrasts that infrared will highlight. In this image the infrared pulls out the greens and yellows of the trees and shrubs surrounding the dark shade of the pond, rocks, and sky. The reflections from the water makes the stream flowing over the rocks and the ripples on the pond stand out.

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Hot, Hot, Hot!

“Dog Days of Summer”
Heatherwood Lower Yard

This week has been a scorcher with temperatures rising above 105 degrees! By 10 AM, the temperature reaches above 90 degrees. It is really too hot to do much of anything outside. But, it is a great time to create a few infrared images. I need to do a little IR photography practice as I prepare for a workshop in the Badlands of South Dakota in September.

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Looking Northeast, I Dream

‘Lower Yard Looking Northeast’
Heatherwood Summer

My eyes follow the lawn path through the lower garden up to Selah Bluff on the horizon. The infrared perspective puts me into a dream-like state. I wonder what is beyond the bluff. Beyond, the Wenas valley slopes to the Yakima River. Then another set of ridges rise up then down to the Ryegrass plateau. The plateau rolls along then descends down to the Columbia River. Ridges of the Yakima folds rise up from the river and level off into the farmlands of the Columbia Basin. A few small farm towns sprinkle the basin. Two-hundred miles away lies Spokane.

I then think of the sprawling metropolitan area between Olympia and Everett, and am thankful for where I live. I am a country boy at heart.

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Home

‘Lower Yard’
Heatherwood Summer

I enjoy a nice peaceful day at home. A morning cup of coffee overlooking the garden is a nice way to start the day. After a simple breakfast on the patio, we enjoy a few hours of work in the yard to fill out the morning. A casual lunch in the shade of the patio awning is a good time to think what we want to do do for the balance of the day. Maybe it is running an errand or two, a little reading or computer work inside where it is cool, or maybe even a little nap. Then as the temperature cools down a bit, it is time to mow the yard. A glass of wine or cold beer sitting by the pond is a good way to finish off the afternoon. Finally as we have dinner again outside on the patio, we talk about how great a day it has been.

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A Different Way of Looking

‘Lower Garden’
Heatherwood Summer

It’s midday. the sun is directly above, the temperature is close to 100 degrees. It’s not the ideal time to photograph the garden. But wait, the harsh sun reflecting off the garden vegetation and bright blue skies make an ideal opportunity to work in the infrared spectrum. The bright reflections from the grass and foliage contrast with the dark tone of the blue sky providing an interesting perspective.

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Sea of Daffodils

“Daffodil Sea”
Heatherwood Spring

I am always trying to create an image that reflects what I see and feel when our sea of daffodils are in full bloom. This view is from the southeast corner of our property looking north to the surround hills and a couple of our neighbor’s homes. The daffodils are planted in a grove of crabapples. We still researching for a ground cover solution for the grove when the daffodils have expired.

As I walk around the daffodil bed and focus on the mass of blooms, I get a little dizzy. With a little help from my camera, my vision appears.

“Daffodil Dizziness”

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